Uncle of Marjorie Sewell.

Born at 12:30am-CST

Brother of Herbert Disney, Raymond Disney, Roy O. Disney and Ruth Disney.

Father of Diane Disney (born December 18, 1933).

Profiled in in J.A. Aberdeen's "Hollywood Renegades: The Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers". Palos Verdes Estates, CA: Cobblestone Entertainment

Briefly worked for Walter Lantz as an animator.

Nephew of Robert Disney.

Pictured on a 6¢ US commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor, 11 September 1968.

Was a member of the first class to be inducted into the DeMolay Hall of Fame on November 13, 1986.

Daughter Sharon Disney was adopted.

Born the same day, only one year earlier, as United States Senator Strom Thurmond. Disney died in 1966, Thurmond lived to be 100 and died in 2003.

Brother-in-law of Hazel Sewell.

His grandfather lived in Ontario, Canada. From there he moved to the United States.

Father-in-law of Ron Miller (married to his daughter Diane Disney)

Grandfather of Christopher Disney Miller, Joanna Miller, Tamara Scheer, Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walter Elias Disney Miller, Ronald Miller, Victoria Brown.

Spouse, Lillian, died. [16 December 1997]

Son of Elias Disney and Flora Disney.

He refused to allow Alfred Hitchcock to film at Disneyland in the early 1960s, because Disney had made "that disgusting movie Psycho (1960).".

Disney had been in bad health for a few months, before he finally entered St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank, California, on 2 November 1966, complaining of pain in his neck and back. An X-ray revealed a tumor on his left lung and surgery was advised. Disney, however checked out to finish some studio business and re-entered the hospital on 6 November. Surgery was performed the next day and his left lung was found to be cancerous and was removed.

The last movie he ever put his personal touch on was Sleeping Beauty (1959).

His illness prevented him from actively supporting Ronald Reagan`s run for Governor of California in 1966.

Was first nominated for an Oscar (as producer) in 1932, the year he also got the Honorary Award for creating Mickey Mouse. From that year until the year before his death, 1965, Disney received one or more Academy Award nominations every year except 1933 and 1941.

Wanted to name Mickey Mouse "Mortimer Mouse" when he drew him. He showed the picture to his wife and his wife did not like the idea and told him to name him "Mickey Mouse". Some historians believe that Mickey`s name was inspired from a toy mouse by Performo Toy Company named "Micky" (spelled without an "e"), which was extremely popular and had already been selling at the time when Disney was developing his Mickey Mouse.

He was one of the founding members of the right-wing Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals in February 1944, along with Robert Taylor, Adolphe Menjou, Sam Wood, Norman Taurog, Gary Cooper, Clarence Brown and Clark Gable.

In 1964, Disney was one of several Americans chosen by President Lyndon Johnson to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation`s highest civilian honor. The award ceremony was held at the White House on 14 September 1964. The urban myth that Disney wore a "Vote for Goldwater" button during the ceremony to endorse Johnson`s opponent in the upcoming election, Republican Barry Goldwater, is completely false and has been debunked many times.

Although he has been called politically conservative, actually voted mainly for Democrats until the 1940 presidential election. This was a main reason why he was asked by HUAC to testify, and was always particularly anti-communist, because his worst nightmare was being called one.

According to former Disney animators, the whispered code that Walt Disney was in a particular wing of the studio was "Man is in the forest." A sly reference to the film Bambi (1942).

He also founded another motion picture distributor, Buena Vista Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of his empire. His empire owns Hollywood Pictures Company and its specialty films unit, Caravan Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax Films Corporation and its specialty films unit, Dimension Films, (American Broadcasting Company (ABC), ABC Family Channel, and ESPN.

Was awarded an honorary Oscar "For the creation of Mickey Mouse" by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences at the fifth Awards ceremony held on November 10, 1932, at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. It was only the second honorary Oscar yet awarded by the Academy. The recipient of the first honorary Oscar, Charles Chaplin, was supposed to present the award to Disney, but he stayed home that night.

His father, Elias Disney, was a professional carpenter by trade who, among other things, worked on the construction of the 1893 Chicago World`s Fair, the prototype for all world`s fairs to follow. When Walt and his brother Roy O. Disney were boys, their father would tell them of the many wonders of the fair, such as the first ferris wheel, thus inspiring the dreams that would make them both successful as adults.

Received the DeMolay Legion of Honor in 1931.

Was initiated into DeMolay at the Mother Chapter in Kansas City Missouri, in 1920.

He got his idea and inspiration for Disneyland, when he visited the "Tivoli"-park in Denmark.

He often called composer Robert B. Sherman into his office to play the piano for him. His favorite song was "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins (1964).

In his autobiography, one-time Disney storyboard artist Bill Peet essentially described Walt Disney as a chain-smoking "work-a-holic" who was prone to strong mood swings.

He was a chain smoker. He avoided smoking when he was in public view, especially where he might be seen by children. His smokers` cough often heralded his arrival in a particular wing of the studio, allowing off-task employees time to get on task.

It is Hollywood legend that, lying on his deathbed at St. Jospeh`s Hospital in Burbank (across the street from the Disney Studios) his last words were about how shabby the studio`s water tower looked. Visible from a nearby freeway, towering above the backlot, it is adorned with the image of his most beloved creation, Mickey Mouse. In adherance with what they believed were their founder`s last wishes, studio executives have made sure the water tower was regularly repainted since he died in 1966.

Was a major contributor to the success of the 1964-65 New York World`s Fair, primarily via his creative use of Audioanimatronics (lifelike, internally animated figures). Among other things, he designed the "Carousel of Progress" for the General Electric exhibit, "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" for the State of Illinois exhibit, and, most enduringly, "It`s a Small World" for Pepsi Cola. One of the most popular attractions at the fair, featuring animated figures of children from all over the world, the latter has since successfully established itself as a perennial crowd-pleaser at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

In 1981, Walt Disney Productions (now The Walt Disney Company) purchased the rights to the Disney name from Retlaw Enterprises, the Disney family`s company.

After adapting Ludwig van Beethoven`s 6th Symphony for the soundtrack of Fantasia (1940), he exclaimed, "My God, this Beethoven will go a long way!"

Was dyslexic.

The Disney family came from Kilkenny, Ireland. The D`Isney family settled in Co. Kilkenny to escape religious persecution and later travelled to America.

Tribute in the Memory of Film section at the Flanders International Film Festival in Ghent, Belgium. [2001]

Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, an Army draft notice, addressed to "Mr. Donald Duck", was delivered to the Disney studios.

Inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, 1993.

The name "Donald Duck" is frequently written in on voting ballots in Scandanavian countries as a protest vote.

Donald Duck`s birthday is June 9, 1934, the date when The Wise Little Hen (1934) was released.

Mickey Mouse`s birthday is November 18, 1928, the date when Steamboat Willie (1928) was released.

Reports surfaced that shortly after his death, Disney Company executive board members were shown a short film that Disney had made before his death, where he addressed the board members by name, telling each of them what was expected of them. The film ended with Disney saying, "I`ll be seeing you."

Was a frequent target of satire by animator Jay Ward.

Reportedly, his famous trademark signature was designed for him by one of his animators.

His death was not publicly announced until after his funeral, which was attended only by close family members.

Chose Anaheim, California for the location of Disneyland after demographics experts convinced him it would become a major population center within 10 years (They were right).

In the animated short Mickey`s Rival (1936), a character named Mortimer Mouse was modeled after him.

Worked as a paperboy as a youth.

Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2000 for the multiplane camera.

Became interested in personalizing animals` characters after carelessly killing a small owl as a young boy. He felt deeply remorseful and guilty and vowed never again to kill a living creature.

Identified as the founder of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority in film clips shown in the queue area of Rocket Rods (formerly, the CircleVision 360 Theater) at Disneyland

Holds the record of winning the most Academy Awards (32).

Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA. Facing the Freedom Mausoleum, to your left hand side are two small private gardens. His is the one farthest back. Plaque is on the wall behind the trees (to your left standing at the gate).

As a teenager, Walt Disney was a member of the Order of DeMolay, a youth organization affiliated with Free Masons.

Active anti-communist

Disney`s death spawned two rumors that have become urban legends. The first is that he had his body cryogenically frozen. The second held that he was buried somewhere on the grounds of Disneyland. Both rumors have been found to be untrue. Actually, he was cremated and his ashes are now interred at Forest Lawn Cemetary in Los Angeles, California.

Death caused by circulatory failure due to complications from lung cancer